UNITED NATIONS, March 31 (APP): The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Tuesday expressed his concern about the fast deteriorating situation inYemen, where dozens of civilians have been killed in fighting in recent days.

UN deputy chief calls for hydro-diplomacy as world faces growing water shortages -

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 30 (APP): The international community must gear up for a new era of hydro-diplomacy as the threat of water scarcity risks plunging the world into a period of geopolitical tension and stunted development, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told delegates gathered at the General Assembly Monday.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 30 (APP): The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, Monday launched at Baghdad University #Unite4Heritage, a social media campaign to support Iraqiyouth and to mobilize young people worldwide for the protection of cultural heritage.

UN dims lights to focus attention on climate change -

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 29 (APP): The United Nations went dark later Saturday evening as the Organization shuts off the lights at its iconic Headquarters complex in New York and other facilities around the world in observance of ‘Earth Hour,’ an annual global event raising awareness about the need to take action on climate change and promoting sustainable energy consumption.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 28 (APP): Pakistan has renewed its commitment to the “noble cause” of United Nations peacekeeping, the world body’s flagship activity that helps countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace.

MELBOURNE, March 29 (APP): Australia regained the Cricket World Cup crown on Sunday when they routed their Trans Transman neighbors New Zealand by seven wickets in the day/night final here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for their overall fifth title.

UNITED NATIONS,Aug 8 (APP):Conflict-related violence in Afghanistan is still having devastating consequences for civilians despite the decrease in casualties this year, according to a United Nations report released Wednesday.The United Nations welcomes the reduction in civilian casualties, but we must remember that Afghan children, women and men continue to be killed and injured at alarmingly high levels, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, said in Kabul, according to a news release issued at UN Headquarters in New York.The 2012 Mid-year Report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict states that during the first half of the year, conflict-related violence led to 1,145 civilian deaths and 1,954 injuries.While these figures represent a 15 per cent decrease compared to last year, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stressed that more needs to be done protect civilians. The 3,099 civilian casualties documented in this report were ordinary Afghans struggling to go about their daily lives in the midst of an armed conflict, said Mr. Haysom, adding that out of the 3,099 casualties, 925 were women and children. I call on all parties to the conflict to increase their efforts to protect civilians from harm and to respect the sanctity of human life.